insideKENT Magazine Issue 73 - April 2018 | Page 82

GOLF
Golf IN KENT
KENT IS HOME TO SOME OF THE VERY FINEST GOLF COURSES IN THE COUNTRY –
PERHAPS EVEN IN THE WORLD – AND CONSIDERING THAT APPROXIMATELY 11 MILLION
PEOPLE IN THE UK (WHICH EQUATES TO AROUND ONE FIFTH OF THE POPULATION) PLAY
GOLF, IT’S NO WONDER THAT THEY LOVE TO VISIT THIS COUNTY OF OURS TO GET A
ROUND (OR TWO) IN WHEN THEY CAN. IF YOU LIKE THE IDEA OF A GOOD GAME OF
GOLF, OR ARE A NOVICE WANTING TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY, THEN WHY NOT VISIT SOME
OF THESE FANTASTIC KENTISH COURSES?
London Golf Club // www.londongolfclub.com // 01474 879899
In a world where the finest details matter,
London Golf Club continues to raise the bar
with 36-holes of Jack Nicklaus-designed
championship golf in impeccable condition
all year round, an award-winning clubhouse,
first-class hospitality, and exceptional service.
Whether a member or a guest, you can be
sure you’ll have an experience to remember
both on and off course from the moment you
drive through the gates and into the glorious
surroundings of the South East’s finest golfing
destination.
The Heritage course is a Jack Nicklaus
Signature design that bears all the hallmarks
of the 18-time major champion. Host to the
2008 and 2009 European Open, the course
provides an exhilarating test for golfers of all
abilities. Maintained in pristine condition all
year round, with fast-rolling greens and
immaculately presented tee boxes and
fairways, Heritage is rightly regarded as one
of the country’s finest golfing experiences.
The International course is pure downland.
Long grasses sway in an ever-changing
breeze. The course is naturally firmer and the
quick undulating fairways force a links-style
approach, while short holes over water provide
dramatic respite. Home of the 2014 Volvo
World Match Play Championship and having
hosted both Regional Open Qualifying and
European Tour Qualifying School, this course
proves a tough test for the most talented of
golfers while providing the opportunity to
shoot some great scores with a number of
risk-reward holes.
Leeds Castle // www.leeds-castle.com/golf // 01622 767828
This par 34, 2,843-yard course was originally built on the 500-acre
Leeds Castle estate in 1931 by Sir Guy Campbell of West Sussex GC
fame. Overseen by golf course architect Alan Walker, Leeds Castle
golf course is involved in an exciting redevelopment programme
where the course has benefitted from a new irrigation system, bunker
landscaping, the levelling and relaying of all tees, as well as input
from top agronomists, STRi, to make the course look great 365 days
a year. Alan Walker, PGA professional, past captain of the PGA and
golf consultant, commented on the redesign and renovation
programme: “Sir Guy Campbell did a terrific job originally, but like
many courses, golf equipment and new technology have meant
that it’s become necessary to look at how the course can be updated
successfully, retaining all the best things about it while enhancing
the challenge for the modern golfer.”
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